Velocipede



(No Model.) Y

F, H. HARRIS.

VBLOGIPBDE.-

Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

FRANK II. HARRIS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,083, dated January15, 1889.

Application led April l0, 1838. Serial No. 270,194. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ 1071/0711/ it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK ll. IlARRIs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Toledo, in the county of lLucas and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in velocipedes;and the invention relates more specifically to the improvement in theconstruct-ion of the seat and elastic seat-support, and, further, in theimproved means for connecting the backbone to the forked standard of thefront wheel, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawin which accompany this specication, Figure l is aperspective view of the backbone and front standard of a velocipede towhich my improvements are applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical centrallongitudinal section of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan of the front end of thebackbone, and Fig. -i is a plan of the nietallic seat-frame.

A represents the forked standard, which carries the front wheel of athree-wheel velocipede ot' usual construction. l-S is thesteering-handle, secured to the upper end of this standard andpreferably cast integral therewith. C C are rearwardly-proj ectingbrackets integrallyv formed with the forked standard. D is the backbone,supported upon the hind wheels and supports the rider upon the saddle F,and E is the head of the backbone, which pivotally engages with thebrackets C C', all the parts being constructed and arranged in the usualand known manner, eX- cept as more fully hereinafter described. Thebracket C is provided with the upwardly-projecting pintle G, which formsa step upon which the lower end of the head E engages by means of theconical socket formed therein. The bracket C is cylindrically apertured,and a pivot-pin, H, is removably secured therein by means of theset-screw I or otherwise, and engages with its lower end into a conicalsocket formed in the upper end of l the head E of the backbone.

The backbone D is bifurcated its whole length back of the head,gradually tapering from the head back toward its rear ends, where it isprovided with suitable clampingboxes, K, Vfor securing it to the hindaxle, I.. A suitable ornamental strengtllening-web, M, may be placedbetween the bifurcations, as in the usual manner.

a is a rearwardly-projecting lug or bracket cast integrally with thehead and backbone, and to which the forward end of the saddleframe ispivotally secured at l). rl"he saddleframe consists of the shank c,which at its forward end is provided with the ears d, by means of whichitis pivotally secured to the bracket a, and of the skeleton seat-frameE, over which the leather or oth er suitable fabric is stretched to forman easy and comfortable seat for the rider.

M is the spring, formed of a single fiat steel bar straight or curved,as fancy may dictate, and to the rear end of this springI the saddle-'frame is suitably secured at f. The forward end of this spring issecured in position to support the weight of the rider by means of threecross-bars, g, 7i, and "i, formed in the crotch of the backbone. Theforward cross bar, g, for the sake of additional strength, may be formedintegrally with the bracket c, which to'this end is provided with therearward extensiolnj, and engages with such rearward extension l'retweenthe bifurcations of the shank of the saddle, whereby it arrests anylateral motion of the saddle-frame. The cross-bars h and preferably forma loop upwardly inclined, whereby the cross-bar vi bears upon the sp1-inon top and the cross-bar h on the bottom, while at the same time thelateral motion of the spring is counteracted by the sides of the loop.Thus by this manner of fastening the spring the latter is supportedagainst upward and downward displacement, as well as against lateraldisplacement, and affords an easy and comfortable seat for the rider,which may be readily adjusted up or down by changing the curvature ofthe spring' to suit different weight of riders, and which is easilymounted and dismounted by the use of the single rivet or bolt.

By the means described for connect-ing the backbone to the standard allwear may be readily taken up, while in shipping the velocipede is easilyput in a knockdown condition without having any loose small parts whichare apt to become lost, the pivot H being simply held in its socketbythe set-screw I.

TOO

That I claim as my invention isl. In a velocipede, in combination withthe bifurcated backbone, a spring seat-support secured at one end to theseat-frame and slidingly engaging at the other end between crossbars in.the backbone, substantialhv as de.- scribed.

2. The combination of thebifurcated backbone, the saddle-frame pivotallysecured thereto at its forward end, and the spring seatsupport held atits forward end between the cross-bars in the bifurcation of thebackbone and secured at its rear end to the rear end of thesaddle-frame, substantially as described.

f3. In a Yelocipede, the combination of the saddle-frame provided withthe shank c, bifurcated at its forward end and terminating in the earsd, the backbone provided with the bracket a, having the rearwardextension 2o engaging between the bifurcations of the saddle, and theseat-supporting spring M', supporting the rear end of the seat,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the bifurcated backbone D, of the saddle-frameprovided with the shank c, bifurcated upon its forward end, therearwardly-projectin arm a of the backbone, to which the forward end ofsaid shank is pivotally secured, the rearward extension j, engagingbetween the bifurcations of the saddle-frame, the cross-bars g, h, andz', integrally formed with the backbone, and the seat-supporting springM', supported at its forwardiend between these cross-bars upon all sidesand at its rear end to the saddleframe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 13th day of March, i888.

FRANK H. HARRIS.

Vitnesses:

P. M. HULBERT, H. S. SPRAGUE.

